Mercy
by sulphurwolf
Summary: Two new teams have been deployed by Septimal Moon to spy on Ritsuka and Soubi. The tale of Merciless and Merciful. Better than it sounds! Please R&R! RitsukaxSoubi, NatsuoxYouji, OCxOC. Rating subject to change.
1. Chapter 1

**Mercy**

"Ah, Chieko and Cho. My two girls are my best creations to date. It is a pity their alternates, Aimi and Asami are not so well done." Nagisa turned away from the two-way mirror, which allowed her to look in on the two girls in the room. Ritsu looked at Nagisa like she was insane.

"I do not see four experiments, only two." Nagisa smiled sadly at him.

"Because I performed the experiment on an already existing fighter unit and sacrifice, instead of creating my own, something went wrong. Both girls have been given alternate personalities." Ritsu continued to appear confused, wondering why that was such a problem. Two personalities simply meant twice the will for fighting, and a stronger threshold for pain in his opinion.

"I know what you're thinking, and I will stop your train of thought now. These girls are not like that. For some reason when they gained alternate personalities, those personalities were given their own name. Cho and Chieko are Merciless, powerful fighters with no concept of surrender, and who live up to their name. However, their alternates, Aimi and Asami, have been given the name Merciful. They hold the same fighting ability, but never win, for they always take pity on their rivals, or flee if things are too dangerous. Merciless is generally in power but… it is never an exact certainty they will stay in control for a full fight." Nagisa stopped, turning back to the two-way to watch Cho and Chieko. The girls were sitting on the floor, reading. Chieko's book was about some homicide detective, while Cho's was a compilation of the case files on the famous English serial killer Jack The Ripper.

"So, if sent into battle, we cannot be sure which pair is going to be fighting?" Ritsu asked, not needing an answer after catching the look on Nagisa's face in the reflection off the two-way. He now understood what she meant. The Merciless pair would have been perfect, but the Merciful pair would be their downfall if sent into battle against Soubi and Ritsuka. He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose with his fingers, trying to figure out a way to use the girls.

"Nagisa, is there any ways the girls can control which personality is out, if only for a short period of time?" He asked his voice hopeful.

"Well, we are working on that. They can generally concentrate on keeping control, without a worry of switching for roughly five minutes. But if they concentrate on the switch, after the five minutes are up, they immediately revert to the personality that forced the switch. So getting Aimi and Asami to concentrate on allowing Cho and Chieko control will ensure that Merciful takes control again the moment the five minutes is up." After a moment, she realized something.

"But, if we were to have Cho and Chieko force Aimi and Asami into control, once the five minutes is up, there will be no doubt as to which pair will be out." Ritsu smiled slightly, then went over to the door.

"Sounds like a plan to me Nagisa. I will have a mission for these girls, now that I can use them."

Both girls perked up as the door opened, and then quickly went back to reading at the sight of Ritsu. He frowned slightly, wondering at their disinterest in him. He put if off though, approaching them slowly. He stopped in front of Chieko, the sacrifice. She looked up at him again, her eyes a dark forest green.

"So, you are the Merciless sacrifice… You and your fighter unit will prepare yourselves for a weeks travel outside the building. You are to watch and record your observations on the fighter unit Beloved, and the sacrifice Loveless." He paused for a moment, continuing when she nodded in understanding.

"You will not engage in battle unless they challenge you. If they do challenge you, concentrate on allowing your Merciful personalities control. Once their time is up, you will be free to battle, without worry of them ruining your chances of victory." Chieko looked to Cho, who merely shrugged, her eyes never leaving the case files. Ritsu smiled, knowing they would be ready, before leaving them. He nodded to Nagisa, who entered the room he had just exited. He watched in disdain the sudden change in the girl's attitudes. They both stood, placing the books on the center table before walking over to bow to her. He disliked their obvious attachment and loyalty to her. She had altered them for his purpose, so why did they not respond that way to him? He shook his head slightly, pushing the thought to the back of his mind. What did he care, they were just experiments.

A few days later the girls walked out of the building and into the fresh air. Cho's floor length red hair was tied back in a ponytail, so that it didn't collect dirt from the ground as she walked. Her pale lavender eyes were bright in the sun, always watching her surroundings. Chieko's cropped black hair shone brightly, offsetting her deep green eyes prettily. Both girls still had their ears; Cho's were a dark velvety black, while Chieko's matched her eyes perfectly. Both girls had long, cat-like tails that were the same coloring as their ears. Chieko wore a dark brown t-shirt and tan pants that brought further attention to her eyes, while Cho wore a black sleeveless dress which fell to her knees with a purple and black cinch. Both girls wore black combat boots, and leatherette wrist bands. Cho wore a leatherette collar with purple tags, while Chieko wore a set of dog tags.

"So, I guess we had better find this apartment we have been given." Cho spoke up, moving in the direction Nagisa had pointed. She held a small map with the streets highlighted, and the exact address written at the top. The girls held hands as they walked along, wondering at the strange people that walked the streets. They could never understand these people, so carefree. The girls, being sisters, had felt their connection as far back as they could remember. And so, they had been fighting for a long time. Neither girl understood how these people could stand to be without one another constantly. Cho and Chieko were always together, anytime they were not they felt as though their hearts had been torn out. Along with sharing the same name, they were fraternal twins. Cho consulted the map every once in a while as they walked along, occasionally stopping as Chieko's attention was drawn to one thing or another.

Eventually the sisters found their apartment building, and they sighed in a mix of relief and anxiety. They had never lived on their own before. Once they were old enough to leave their parents house without extensive legal troubles, Septimal Moon had taken them in. Nagisa had cared for them since then, so this strange experience was new to them. They stopped by the front desk, talking with the landlord briefly before receiving their key and retreating to their new home. The apartment was very small, only a one bedroom with a decent sized kitchen, and tiny bath. Nagisa had sent their things ahead of them, so there were a few boxes in the middle of what served as a living/dinning room. Both girls sighed as they started to unpack, throwing things like blankets and cushions eith into the bedroom, or into a corner. Chieko would take the designated bedroom, while Cho would curl up in the den area.

"Hey Cho, what are you going to use as a bed? I only see one fold-up mattress." Cho turned and smiled at Chieko, opening a larger box, filled entirely with large, soft cushions.

"These are going to be my bed. I prefer a soft pile of cushions to a hard mattress." Chieko sighed and rolled her eyes before continuing to unpack. In the smaller boxes were a few pots, a water filter to put on the tap, and a couple debit cards. Chieko smiled, knowing that Nagisa had snuck the cars in for them.

When the girls had unpacked and set up their new home, Chieko cooked a simple meal of rice and chicken strips. Cho pulled a map out of the handbag she kept. She spread it out on the floor, contemplating their first move as she ate the rice. She used a small pencil to circle the areas of interest to their mission. When she was finished she had five circles. One was his school, another is home, another Soubi's home, and the last two were a local library and a park where it was rumored he visited occasionally.

"Hey, Chieko, where should we go to find the targets first?" She called out, making the other pop her head through the entry way to her room.

"Well, it's a Sunday, so he has the day off. It is a nice day, so the park?" Chieko walked out of her room clad in a white t-shirt and dark brown baggy shorts. Cho rolled her eyes and stood up, finishing the last of her rice and holding out the plate to Chieko.

"You have no idea where he'll be. You just want to go to the park." She said accusingly. Chieko took the plate, carrying it into the kitchen. She looked down at the chicken, which remained untouched.

"Why don't you eat meat anymore? You used to be like a carnivore, but now you won't touch my cooking if it isn't vegetarian food." Chieko frowned at the plate as she dumped the chicken into the trash can. A lot had changed with her fighter unit after Nagisa's experiments. They had once been perfectly in tune, as twins are meant to be. At one time no one could tell them apart by talking to them, they had to see the girls, see their different appearances to know which was which. Now Cho was no longer Cho. And Chieko knew she had changed as well.

"It's that Asami personality. She hates meat, and it has affected my own preference." She walked over to the boxes, pulling out a black, knee length skirt with a purple tank top. She walked into Chieko's room, closing the door to change. When she emerged she had also donned several necklaces and a long, black cloth glove. Chieko stood at the door, waiting. She slipped on a pair of running shoes as Cho pulled on her combat boots again. At the park Cho sat at a picnic table, munching on a carrot while Chieko explored, climbing trees like a monkey.

In another area of the park Natsuo's ears perked up, at the same time, in a small grove of trees further away Soubi stood up, his eyes narrowing slightly. Both faced the same direction. Youji and Ritsuka both looked at their fighter units, wondering what was wrong.

"Natsuo? What is it?" Youji asked, moving in the direction Natsuo faced.

"Another fighter unit is here." Youji turned, raising his brow at the fighter.

"Yes, we already know Soubi is here with Ritsuka. Soubi told us this morning remember?" Natsuo shook his head, giving Youji an 'do I look that stupid' glare.

"I know Soubi is here, and I'm not talking about him. I mean there is a third fighter unit in the park today, one I don't know. They feel familiar, but I don't recognize them." Youji walked over, grabbing Natsuo's hand and pulling him up.

"Well then, shall we go say hello?" Natsuo grinned, pulling his sacrifice towards the unknown unit.

Further away Soubi had picked up Ritsuka and was carrying him over to the fighter unit's location. Ritsuka's ears were laying flat against his skull as he glared at Soubi for picking him up.

Asami looked up as two boys walked through the underbrush towards her, her dark fuchsia eyes narrowing. Further back was an adult carrying a young boy. Her ears tilted forward as she stood, slightly suspicious of the two. She knew they were teams, she could feel the fighter units as they approached. Aimi was still dormant in Chieko, who had gone exploring, so if they challenged her, she would be helpless. Asami had taken control as soon as she was distant enough.

"Who are you, and what are you doing here?" The fighter unit closest to her asked in a brash tone.

"I am Asami, fighter unit of the name Merciful. As for my being here, I cannot answer that." She came around from behind the picnic table, her guarded, defensive stance covered by a cloak of confidence.

"You won't answer my second question? Well then, I will have to force the answer from you, won't I?" His sacrifice stepped up as he spoke the words she had hoped she wouldn't hear.

"I, Natsuo, fighter unit of the name Zero, declare a battle!" He shouted, just as she felt the change coming over her. Asami retreated into her mind with delight. Along her path into the safety and darkness of Cho's mind she met her alter personality. The two locked eyes, and Cho understood that she was about to be sent to battle. The words ripped from her throat as soon as she had control again.

"I accept the challenge!" Natsuo looked around her for her sacrifice.

"You accept without a sacrifice to take the damage for you? Heh heh, good luck." He stood in front of Youji, his eyes suddenly widening. The female fighter unit's eyes had changed color, and she now had a name scrawled across her chest, where previous to battle had been blank. Even stranger to him was the fact that the name read Merciless instead of Merciful. He shook his head, clearing his thoughts for the fight.

"Rip. Rend. Tear her to pieces!" He shouted.

"Absolute defense. No penetration. Target shift; Zero unit." Her words came in rapid succession, deflecting Natsuo's attacks. A single restraint attached itself to Youji, making both boys gasp. She had managed to send his attack back at him.

"Butterfly shield, surround. Blades of wind slice through. Destroy the enemy!" Cho's clear, commanding voice cut through the howling of wind.

"Shield. Deflect." Natsuo shouted, staring in amazement as a set of translucent purple butterfly wings sprouted from Merciless' back, surrounding her entirely. Youji's voice snapped him out of his daze.

"Natsuo, destroy her!" Both boys grinned at the girl.

"Wipe away all shields. Rip. Rend. Destroy. Tear her apart!" Large tears appeared in Cho's wings, as restraints appeared around her wrists and ankles. Natsuo and Youji grinned.

"Tear asunder. Rip her to shreds. Destroy." Natsuo shouted.

"Deflect all attacks. Target shift; Zero unit." Cho said, her voice still calm and even. But the Zero boys were wise to her trick.

"Target shift; original target" Natsuo yelled, smiling triumphantly as another restraint appeared, this one around her throat. He was ready to strike the final blow when her eyes turned, the name on her chest disappearing again. Asami looked around for a moment before speaking.

"Butterfly wings carry me away. Retreat." She disappeared in a whirl of purple. Natsuo and Youji blinked as the park came back into proper view. The girl was kneeling on the grass, her eyes the dark fuchsia Natsuo had first seen.

"How did you defeat her?" Asami asked, her eyes searching for Chieko.

"She is unbeatable with Chieko at her side!" Asami's confusion was evident in her voice.

"You fought without a sacrifice, can't you remember?" Youji asked, confused.

"How could I remember? Cho fought, not me!" Asami said, her voice wavering slightly.

**End**

Um, yeah. I'm going to end it here for now. Next chapter I'm going to explore Asami and Aimi's characters more.

I hope you liked it, please review!

Also, I regained the use of my home computer, so for those of you that read Shinkirou, I'll be adding tomorrow!

Kayt (aka sulphurwolf)


	2. Chapter 2

**Mercy 2**

Natsuo, Youji, Soubi and Ritsuka were utterly confused, and it seemed that the girl on the ground was as well. They stood there, the boys staring at the girl, for a while. Suddenly a voice sounded from behind them.

"Asami, what are you doing on the ground?" Aimi walked out of the trees, brushing past the boys to pick up her fighter unit.

"Cho was in a fight, and she lost because Chieko and you were not around." Asami said, her voice still wavering with her distress. To her knowledge Cho had never lost a fight. And Chieko had never missed a fight when Cho needed her.

"Well, no use dwelling on it dearest. Lets go home." She brought Asami to her feet, brushing off her skirt. Natsuo rushed forward, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"Hold on, I beat her, she has to tell me what is going on now! Why the hell can't she remember the fight we just had?" His voice cut through the silence of the park.

"Asami, we are leaving." Aimi walked forward, expecting her fighter to follow. She did not have the attachment to Asami that Chieko had to Cho, and so she did not feel when Asami stayed. She merely kept walking.

"Well, are you going to explain?" Natsuo asked.

"As I told you, my name is Asami, of the team Merciful. The one you fought was Cho, of the team Merciless. We are two separate beings, trapped in one body." Youji stepped forward when Natsuo stayed silent, trying to figure out what he had just been told.

"And what about his previous question? Why are you here? Who sent you?" Asami looked at him sadly.

"I cannot remember why I am here. That knowledge is Cho's. As for who sent me, I also do not know that. I must assume that it was our caretaker though. Nagisa-chan would have been the only one Cho and Chieko would have listened to." Youji and Natsuo gasped, taking a step back.

"You are from Septimal Moon as well? You are creations of Nagisa?" The Zero males looked at each other, then at Soubi.

"Nagisa is the woman who made us; she creates experiments that won't feel pain. She made both us, and the other Zeros, the females." Soubi turned to the girl.

"You are an experiment? A creation of this Nagisa?" He asked, his eyes running up and down her slender form, trying to decide if she was or not.

"Well, yes and no. We were born, just like you and Aoyagi-san. But Cho and Chieko were experimented on when they were kids, which is how Aimi and I came to have our own name, separate from Merciless." Soubi was still confused, but he made a decision.

"Where do you live?" He asked.

"An apartment with Aimi. Why?" Soubi smiled, as she looked confused.

"Not anymore. You are coming with us. I need to hear more about these experiments by Nagisa. And I can keep an eye on you while you are with me." Asami looked to the Zero boys, who smiled at her kindly. She was about to follow Soubi when a thought clicked. The Zero boys, smiling. That almost never happened. They only smiled when they were going to inflict pain on another. It was in their nature after all.

"Um, Agatsuma Soubi-san, why are they smiling? They are Zeros, they don't smile." Soubi turned slightly to look at the two boys.

"I have a feeling they are going to be torturing you a little while you live with us. After all, I'm not home all day. And you know they love to hurt people." Asami's eyes widened in shock. She had not realized that Natsuo and Youji lived with Soubi. The boys continued to grin as Soubi turned away, picking Ritsuka up again and carrying him. Natsuo and Youji took Asami's hands and pulled her along, so that she would not run away.

Soubi was dropping Ritsuka off at home just as Misaki Aoyagi walked out. She went straight over to Ritsuka and slapped him.

"You had me worried! You are past curfew!" She started to cry as she regarded him.

"My Ritsuka would never have done such a thing! Why won't you bring him back?" She fell against Ritsuka, clinging to him. Natsuo, Asami and Youji stood by, watching in silence. Both boys smiled at the slap she had given him, but looked upon her pitiful form in disgust. They could not believe she could be so weak. Asami stepped forward, her hands slipping from the Zero boys' grip. She placed a hand on Misaki's shoulder, smiling down when the woman looked up at her. Misaki stood up, now clutching Asami's shoulders as if they were a life raft in the ocean storm that was her life.

"You, can you bring my Ritsuka back?" She asked in a pleading tone. Asami's heart nearly broke, for what she saw in the woman's eyes was pitiful indeed. She wrapped her arms around Misaki's shaking form, holding her up.

"Your Ritsuka is still there, somewhere. You just have to be patient. One day, he will come back to you. But there is nothing you, or even the current Ritsuka can do about it. You just have to be patient." Misaki stared at her in silence for a moment, before stepping back and turning to Ritsuka.

"You bring my baby back, I don't how you do it, just do." She turned to Asami again.

"I have to believe that he will come back to me. I can't believe that there is nothing that can be done." With that she walked back into the house. Ritsuka turned to Asami.

"Thank you for calming her down. If only for tonight, I think I will be fine." Asami looked at him in shock. But nodded and said 'your welcome' nonetheless. Ritsuka turned to Soubi, waving farewell before following Misaki into the house. Soubi turned to Asami, regarding her silently. After a few moments he turned, walking down the street. Natsuo and Youji reclaimed Asami's hands, pulling her along as they followed Soubi home. At the house, Kio was waiting for them. He gasped at the sight of Asami.

"Soubi you pervert, now you are bringing a little girl home? How could you betray me like this?" Soubi rolled his eyes, closing the door as Youji and Natsuo pulled Asami further into the room. Both boys knew Kio was just being his dramatic self.

"Calm down Kio, she is just a friend of Youji and Natsuo's. She will be staying here with us for a little while." Kio walked over to Asami, bending down slightly to look at her face. He was about to say something else to Soubi when her eyes changed to Cho's pale lavender. Cho jumped back, surprised to see an adult peering at her face. Her ears flattened and she hissed slightly. Soubi laughed, grabbing Kio's arm and pulling him over to the door.

"Kio, now that I have more guests you shall have to leave. Things are to crowded, and since my injury has healed, you have no excuse to stay here." Kio's face fell as Soubi opened the door, shooing him out.

"Fine Soubi, I see how it is. I shall go for now, but I will be back! And all three of those kids had better still have their ears when I return!" Soubi closed the door, shutting out the sound of Kio's voice. He turned to Cho, who was regarding the Zero boys with malice.

"Does your connection with Asami allow you to see and hear what she does?" He asked.

"Sometimes. But now is not one of those times, so start explaining what I'm doing here, and why Chieko isn't with me." Natsuo and Youji sat down by the table, looking from Cho to Soubi.

"I'm having you live here with us. I want to hear about these experiments Nagisa is performing, and I want to keep an eye on you." Cho glared at him, opening her mouth to say something. She started to form the words just as her eyes changed back to Asami's fuchsia. Soubi looked over at Youji and Natsuo.

"I want you two to watch her. I don't want her to leave without an escort, since I can't be sure her other side won't run back to her sacrifice. Also, she will be staying out here, so you to can't get to her like you tried to with Shinonome-sensei." Both boys looked at Asami, then back at Soubi. They considered for a moment, and then nodded in compliance. Asami looked confused, but relieved.

"Well, I'm going to sleep, and so are you three." He walked over to a closet and pulled out a fold-up mattress that Kio occasionally borrowed. He laid it out on the floor in a corner, and the opened the door to his room, waiting for the Zero boys to walk in ahead of him. Once they were in he regarded Asami silently for a moment before closing the door. Asami moved the mattress into a corner, and then curled up. She was asleep almost instantly.

**End**

Ok, I'm ending it here for now. Please review! I'm on a roll with this story, so I have a lot of ideas for the chapters to follow, but I won't add them if no one is going to read them.

Kayt (aka sulphurwolf)


	3. Chapter 3

Mercy 3 Mercy 3

Soubi awoke to the sound of what sounded like whispering. Curious, he lifted his head to peer at the bed. It was empty. It took his brain a moment to realize that the whispers were really just snatches of conversation, the volume blocked by his closed door. He walked out of his room to see Natsuo and Youji sitting at the table, talking to someone in the kitchen.

"Hey, Asami, what is your favorite form of torture?" Youji asked, glancing at Soubi briefly.

"Um, I'm a fan of inflicting small wounds on precise parts of the human body, and then soaking a rag in either alcohol or salt water to clean them." Sounded her voice. Soubi searched to find its owner. He noticed that Asami was not in the living room, and realized a second later that she was in his kitchen. He walked over just as she walked out, four plates of food balanced on her arms. Soubi stood, shocked at how good the food looked and smelled. He lifted two of the plates and walked them over to the table with Asami.

"Thank you Agatsuma-san." She said as they sat down, Youji and Natsuo already shoveling the food back. Soubi smiled at the boys, and then took a mouthful of the food. It tasted as good as it smelled. Asami had made rice with stir-fried vegetables and added small pieces of cooked fish for Natsuo, Youji and Soubi. She began to eat, taking their silence to mean they liked it. When everyone had finished, she stood to clear the table, stacking the plates and putting the chopsticks on the top most dish. Soubi stood, taking them from her hands and carrying them to the kitchen for her, ignoring her cries of protest. When he came back out she was sitting again, talking quietly with Youji.

"So, you actually drove a nail through Agatsuma's hand? I'm surprised he didn't put up more of a fight against it!" Asami was saying. Natsuo nodded, grinning.

"Yup, we almost had him beat, but he figured out a way to defeat us in the end." Asami looked up at Soubi, who was frowning slightly.

"How did you do it?" She asked, very curious. She knew of the Zero's inability to feel pain, and thus she knew they were a difficult pair to beat. Soubi looked at Youji and Natsuo, who hung their heads, slightly ashamed at their lack of knowledge about their own weaknesses.

"I used their inability to regulate their body temperature to my advantage. I knew they could not feel the warning signs of freezing to death, and so I covered the area with ice and snow and commanded freezing winds to assault them." He smiled as Natsuo and Youji frowned at the retelling of the details. Asami noticed this, and took the conversation in a different direction.

"Agatsuma-san why doesn't Ritsuka come live with you? You are old enough to be his guardian, and I'm sure it would be safer for him to live with you than with his mother." Soubi shook his head, turning away slightly before answering.

"Ritsuka would not leave his mother. He feels that her current state of mind is his fault." Asami tilted her head to the side, considering Soubi's statement. He opened the door to leave for class, turning to look at the Zero boys before he walked out.

"Behave you two. I want her in the same condition she is now when I return. And don't let her leave on her own; I can't have her running away just yet." With that he walked out, closing the door behind him. Natsuo and Youji looked at each other, then at Asami. After a moment Youji spoke.

"Asami, we are going to go visit Ritsuka after school today. In the meantime, we will need to get your clothes. Is your sacrifice at home, or does she have school?" Asami looked shocked, taking a moment to answer.

"W-well, she has school, but I'm not sure if she went or not. The only reason she ever goes is because I make her." The boys thought for a moment, then decided to risk it.

"Alright, lets go!" They stood up, grabbing her hands and pulling her after them. When they got outside Asami told them the address, and they frowned for a moment before pulling her after them. There was a small stand that had maps of city, and they asked the owner of the stand to show them where the apartment was. Once they figured out the route, they were off again, dragging Asami along behind them. When they reached the building they walked her up, holding their breath as she opened the door. To their fortune, Chieko/Aimi was out. Asami walked over to the box of clothing she had been to lazy to unpack, wondering if she should take the whole thing, or just a few things. Her decision was made for her when Youji picked up the box, walking out of the room. Natsuo pulled Asami after his sacrifice, not caring that they were getting looks from a few of the other residents who emerged from their apartments.

Once they were back at Soubi's house Youji put the box on the floor beside Asami's mattress. Both boys went into Soubi's room, allowing Asami to change. When she called them back in she was wearing a short kimono that matched her eyes and ended just above her knees with a pair of black tights underneath. She was tying her hair back so it wouldn't touch the ground. Her arms were adorned with silver bracelets, her right only held a single, thick ring, while her left was decorated with a great number of silver bangles and her black leatherette wristband. Around her neck hung a set of dog tags, a collar, and a silver chain bearing a well crafted silver butterfly set with amethyst.

"So, when do we go to see Ritsuka?" Asami asked curiously. Natsuo and Youji looked at the clock, which read 12:00.

"Well, Ritsuka gets off at 12:30 today, so we will have to leave now to catch him." Asami nodded, and pulled her combat boots on as Natsuo and Youji slipped on their own shoes. She followed them out of the house, the two boys holding her hands again and leading the way. They stopped outside the school, waiting for Ritsuka to come out. Asami stared at her feet from all the stares she was getting. Cho was the bolder personality, while Asami was incredibly shy. Natsuo and Youji just sneered at the students and they scrambled away.

"What are you three doing here?" Ritsuka's voice made Asami look up. Her eyes drifted from Ritsuka to the two accompanying him. There was a boy about Ritsuka's height with dark green hair and ears. There was also a girl about her height with pink hair and ears. The first thought that came to Asami's mind when she looked at the girl was 'wow, she's got big boobs for a sixth grader.'

"Hello Ritsuka, we decided to come see you, since Soubi is in class today." Youji said in a bored tone. The girl with pink hair smiled, bouncing slightly.

"We should all go to the mall together! I have some money today, so we can get bubble tea!" Asami's expression changed in an instant. She had a smile on her face and her eyes were brighter than usual.

"Ah, I also have some money! Let's go!" Yuiko linked arms with Asami and lead her and the others to the mall. When they arrived Asami, Yuiko and Yayoi sat on one side of a table with Natsuo, Ritsuka and Youji on the other side. Asami ad Yuiko both ordered honey tea with strawberry jellies, while the others gagged at their love of such a sweet drink. Natsuo and Youji ordered an ice swirl with tapioca pearls to share, while Ritsuka and Yayoi ordered plain flavored teas without the jellies. As they waited for their tea Yuiko and Asami chatted about various different things, from their favorite actors, to their favorite musicians. Asami was happy to find a girl she could talk to about these things. Aimi/Chieko wasn't interested in such girly things, Cho was hidden away in her mind, and Nagisa-chan had always been to busy with experiments or training to talk with her.

"Ah, Yuiko, would you like to go to the park with me tomorrow after school?" Asami asked abruptly. She wanted to be friends with the girl, as she would be her first. Yuiko looked delighted at the prospect.

"I would love to! Are you going to be waiting again? Oh! Should Ritsuka-kun come as well?" The girl's tail was wagging as she spoke rapidly.

"Of course Ritsuka can come with us. And yes, I will be waiting outside the school again tomorrow." Yuiko and Asami grinned, then turned to Ritsuka, waiting to hear if he would come with them or not. He sighed, and then nodded, provoking an outburst from Yayoi.

"Ritsuka-kun, you have just been invited to the park with Yuiko-san! How could you look so disinterested! Yuiko-san, permit me to accompany you to the park as well. Please!" Yuiko shrunk back into the seat, somewhat disturbed, after a moment though she nodded making Yayoi blush and calm down. When the tea arrived everyone sat in silence for a few moments.

"Eh, we are coming with you to Asami-chan." Youji said, Natsuo leaning forwards to grab her tea for a try.

"Yeah, Soubi's orders. We can't let you leave without an escort." He took a sip, pulled a face at the overpowering taste of sugar, and handed it back.

"What? Isn't Ritsuka-kun enough?" She frowned, glaring slightly at Natsuo for taking her drink.

"What could he do if you tried to run? He isn't a fighter. The only thing he could do would be to call us. And by then you could be long gone. So, we are going to accompany you. Save Soubi the phone bill, and save us the time it would take to track you down." Asami rolled her eyes in annoyance at having to be babysat, but bit back a retort as Yuiko spoke up.

"Yay! Yui-er… I get to go to the park with all of my friends!" She glanced at Ritsuka for a moment, relieved that he didn't comment on her slip.

When the group had finished their drinks they parted ways, Yuiko and Yayoi going home while Natsuo and Youji dragged Asami with them as they walked Ritsuka home. When they arrived Ritsuka said goodnight before quickly darting inside. Natsuo and Youji pulled Asami away from the home, towards the park.

"We want to spend time with Asami, away from other people." Natsuo said with a smile on his face. All of Asami's muscles tightened, she was incredibly nervous now. Youji's face mirrored Natsuo's as they continued to pull her along. As they pulled her further into the covering of the trees her anxiety increased. They started to giggle as they approached the clearing of trees where they had first met her. She gasped as they cleared the ring of trees, stepping onto the soft grass. In the center of the clearing was a large blanket spread out on the ground. Asami gulped, wondering what was going on.

**End**

Umm, yeah… not sure if this chapter is as good. It defiantly isn't as long. I might type up an alternate version to replace this one later. Please tell me what you think I should do, and if you think it is any good. Also, you, the readers, get to decide what happens to Asami in the next chapter. I have three scenarios written up, so please add the number of the scenario you want to the end of your review, if you care to. And no, I'm not going to tell you what the chapters contain, you just have to pick a number and hope it is good!

So, please review! And remember to ad 1, 2 or 3 to the end of your post.

Kayt (aka sulphurwolf)


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